The invention relates to a medication dispensing containers for holding solid medications, in particular pills, tablets or capsules, and which container is provided with a dispensing mechanism which is arranged for selectively dispensing an amount of said solid medications from an outlet at the bottom side of said container. The invention further relates to a system which accommodates a series of medication dispensing containers, which system is arranged for selectively dispensing an amount of said solid medications from one or more medication dispensing containers and for packing said dispensed amount. The invention further relates to a method for dispensing an amount of said solid medications from said container.
Such a device and method is, for example, disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,342. This US Patent describes a dispensing drum which is arranged at a bottom side of a tablet case, and which lets the medications fall through an outlet from the tablet case as it rotates. The dispensing drum is equipped with a plurality of grooves into which the medications from the tablet case are fed and which let the medication fall there from when they are aligned with the outlet. The dispensing drum is provided with a separating member in such a manner that it juts out into or over the groove aligned with the outlet and is capable of securely retaining a medication thereon.
A plurality of such medication dispensing containers are used in a system which is arranged for selectively discharging an amount of said medications from one or more medication dispensing containers and for packing said discharged amount. Said system is provided with an array of container positions arranged adjacently in a plane, each of said array of container positions is provided with a holder for one of said medical dispensing containers and with a through opening for passing discharged medication there through. At the through opening a photo sensor is arranged for detecting and counting the discharged medication.
A disadvantage of the known device is, that a missing medication, for example when the tablet case is empty or when a medication is not discharged because it is jammed in the groove, is detected at the moment said medication should fall through the outlet. This will bring the system to a standstill, until a falling medication is detected.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved medication dispensing container, a system and a method which at least substantially reduces the occurrence of a missing medication, and allows a further reduction of the time required for a series of packing operations.